Strawberry plant--`Joe Reiter`

ABSTRACT

A new distinct spring bearing variety of strawberry plant, characterized by its ability to produce a large spring crop when planted during the winter after a minimum amount of chilling both at the nursery and in cold storage. 
     The variety is particularly distinguished by its good appearance, with a minimum of surface irregularities, high dessert quality, and consistent medium to good size, but with only a moderately firm skin. The large calyx with large individual overlapping sepals are conspicuous. The plant is vigorous, producing dark rugose leaves and an abundance of runners at the nursery and in the fruiting bed, if given more than ideal chilling.

This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of strawberry knownas the Joe Reiter and which is a result of a cross of the unpatentedvariety known as the Driscoll Strawberry Associates Selection G7 and theunpatented variety the Driscoll Strawberry Associates Selection G8.

The seedlings resulting from the aforementioned cross were grown andasexually multiplied in Shasta County, California, and tested in thefruiting beds on the property of member growers of Driscoll StrawberryAssociates, Inc. Clones of the seedlings are also held at thePropagation Nursery in Shasta County. One plant was selected from theaforementioned group of seedlings and further asexually reproduced byrunners in the Shasta County Nursery of Driscoll Strawberry Associates,Inc. Tests followed in various parts of California during interveningseasons on various properties of grower members of the DriscollStrawberry Associates, Inc. These tests indicated the merits of thenovel plant and resulted in its selection as a promising test variety.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawing illustrates plant parts of the newvariety, typical in size, shape and color. A berry in cross sectionillustrates flesh color and characteristic core cavity. Theinflorescence pictured illustrates typical branching the relative sizeduring April in Oxnard, Calif. The pedical holding the primary berryoriginates mainly at the axil union of two secondary peduncles. Each ofthe two secondary peduncles shown produce secondary berries, as well aslong tertiary pedicles, longer than the pedicel holding the primaryberry shown in the drawing, and this is often typical. There is nocommon peduncle shown in the drawing which is not uncommon. This lack ofa common peduncle, or a short one, often gives the appearance of singlepedicles originating from the crown. The drawing also shows largecalyxes with large overlapping sepals that have a minimum of serrations.The large flower shows strong anthers that produce an abundance ofpollen, even early in the year. The dark rugose appearing leaf istypical with no bract showing. The absence of bract is common, eventhough bracts may appear.

The novel winter planted spring variety is adapted mainly to southernCalifornia where it shows the ability to produce a strong crown cropearly, with continuous subsequent production throughout the spring. Thisproduction is good if the plant is not given excessive chilling beforebeing planted. The plant of the Joe Reiter, if given equal chilling, isgenerally darker, larger, and more vigorous than the variety Thomas, aDriscoll variety whose patent is pending, when it is also grown as awinter planted variety in Oxnard. Also when compared as a winter plantedvariety in Oxnard it has more consistently larger petioles, moreconsistently large fruit, and a larger calyx than the Thomas. Individualsepals are larger with more overlap than the Thomas. The fruit of theJoe Reiter has also less irregularities in shape. The seed is lighter incolor but more sunken, and the skin is not as firm as Thomas. Bothvarieties are considered by taste panels as having high flavorqualities, better than the summary planted H4 variety, U.S. Plant Pat.No. 3,987. Both the Joe Reiter and Thomas have a noticeable strawberryaroma, more noticeable than H4.

This new variety is unique in that its crown crop berries are large andare produced on pedicels that are thick and long making the varietycondusive for the marketing of "long stems", (where the largest berriesare sold with the calyx remaining on the fruit). This early fruit isrelatively uniform in color and produces a minimum of berries that ripenunevenly. The dark foliage appears to be relatively tolerant oftwo-spotted spider mite. It hasn't been subjected to severe thripinfestations or strawberry aphids carrying virus. It hasn't been testedagainst Verticillium wilt and hasn't shown susceptibility to fieldinoculations of Phytophthora cactorum. It has not shown severesusceptibility to Mycosphorella leaf spot or powdery mildew.

The varietal characteristics of the novel plant, described below indetail, were observed mainly during May, in Oxnard, Calif., which is acoastal area near the Pacific Ocean. The drawing was taken on April 24,and the measurements were taken during that time and in early May. Thecolor terminology is in accordance with the Munsell Color System.

PLANT

Medium to large as a winter planted variety in southern California, evenif given a minimum of chilling before being planted. The plant willbecome excessively large if given too much chilling before beingplanted.

LEAVES

Mostly medium to large in size. Central leaflets average 6 to 7 cm. inwidth and length, but may vary, depending on the environment and time ofyear. Petioles become longer as the season progresses, but areconsidered medium to long. Serrations at leaflet margins are mediumdeep, ovate and short-acute. Bracts are rarely present on the petiole.Leaflets surface is moderately rugose and young leaflets are mostlycupped upward. The leaflet color is noticeably dark, the upper side is0.6G -- 2.8/6.5.

RUNNERS

Runners are vigorous and abundant at the nursery, as well as in thefruiting bed, if given more than the correct chilling for maximum fruitproduction.

INFLORESCENCE

Medium long, mostly 20 to 25 cm. in length. Pedicels are considered longand thick. Pedicels holding primary berry may be 3 mm. in cross section.The early crop has many single pedicels originating from the crown.Common peduncle considered short, especially early in the season.Pedicels holding tertiary fruit are often longer than the pedicelholding the primary berry. Hair on tertiary pedicels 20 cm. from thefruit is irregularly parallel to the pedicel. As the common pedunclelengthens, as the season progresses, three secondary peduncles may bepresent and two berries may ripen on one inflorescence at the same time.The pedicel holding the primary berry originates mostly at the axil ofthe secondary peduncles. Flowers are generally visible above the plantand flowers are large and showy with anthers that produce an abundanceof pollen even during early flowering.

FRUIT

The fruit size of winter planted plants in the spring is good, both thecrown crop and the main crop. During the spring crop, up to mid May,tertiary and secondary berries are near primaries in size. The size ofall fruit drops during late May and June. The length and width ofprimaries during the first of May is 40 to 45 cm. The shape is conic toshort, or medium wedge, as described in the USDA Bulletin 1043. Theshoulders are round, not necked. The fruit surface is mostly smooth,with some berries showing slight longitudinal shallow furrows. The seedis generally held equal to the fruit surface, but may be slightly sunkenat times, and the surface is considered medium in firmness. Seeds aremedium in size and are yellow, but may darken when exposed to full sun.Fruit surface colors uniformly and is not prone to produce whiteunripened shoulders, except during the crown crop. The core cavity ismedium in size. The desert quality is considered good. The surface coloris 8.4R -- 2.9/9.4 and the flesh color is 8.8R -- 4.6/16.0 with streaksof white extending from the core to near the surface.

CALYX

The diameter of the calyx is noticeably large, especially during thecrown and early main crop. The calyx is usually held even with thesurface, not clasping. Individual sepals are mostly large, ellipticaland obtuse, and short-acute at the apex with considerable overlap.Serrations may be present, but many individual sepals are void ofserrations. The color of sepals on the side facing the berry is 6.5GY --3.8/7.1.

I claim:
 1. The new and distinct strawberry plant herein described andillustrated, and identified by the characteristics enumerated above.